1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a terminal for electric conductors and, in particular, to a terminal of a type which includes a cylindrical clamping member rotatable in a clamping frame which clamps the conductor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a known terminal for electric conductors, a substantially cylindrical clamping member is rotatably mounted in the bottom opening of a bowl-shaped clamping frame which has, adjacent to the circumference of the cylindrical clamping member, a narrowing groove which receives a conductor and extends in spiral form around the axis of rotation. In this terminal, the direction of insertion of the conductor and the direction for applying a tool as, for example, a screwdriver, to rotate the clamping member are at an angle of 90.degree.. Further, in this terminal only one conductor can be clamped, and the conductor must, additionally, be adapted to the dimensions of the groove. Moreover, turning back of the securing screw located in the spiral groove cannot be avoided when vibrations or temperature fluctuations occur, as the clamping frame is large and is made of a different material than the clamping member.
In another known terminal for electrical conductors, the clamping member has cylindrical bearing pins for rotatably mounting the member in the lateral legs of a U-shaped clamping frame. The clamping member is also provided with clamping faces, eccentric to the bearing pins, for engaging the conductor which makes contact at the base of the U. With this arrangement, the direction of insertion of the conductor and the direction for applying a tool to rotate the clamping member are also at an angle of 90.degree., so that, as with the previous terminal, a relatively large amount of space is required when using the terminal.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a conductor terminal in which the direction of insertion of the conductor is parallel to the direction of insertion of the tool which operates the terminal.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a conductor terminal which has better holding properties under vibratory or swinging stress and which has increased pullout forces.